There's a lot of awkward silence to fill during Fashion Week. Showgoers, crammed butt to butt with people they (a) used to work for or (b) directly compete with, need a good supply of universally interesting topics to dissect while waiting for shows to start — something neutral yet titillating. Fortunately for them (if not for the subjects), there's been a lot of meaty news: seismic personnel changes at a major retailer, the teetering business of a former wunderkind, some still-to-be-proven designer-business mashups, and the arrival of a tall, blond, exquisitely beautiful new model. Who is a guy.

See more from the Fall 2011 Preview:
• Slideshow: 65 Designers Reveal Their Fall 2011 Inspirations
• The Complete Fall 2011 Fashion Week Calendar
• Your Handy Live-Stream Guide to New York Fashion Week
• The Rise of the Plus-Size Model